Disney World Magical Racing Tour

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Can't afford to go to Disney World? Get a good look anyways with our hands-on impresions of MRT!

By IGN Staff

Update: 05.30.00

I guess old habits die hard. Anoop has his thumb-sucking cartoon vigils, Colin still swears by his all-night conversations with his VMU and apparently, a lengthy sit-down with Eidos Dreamcast port of Disney World Magical Racing Tour has somewhat embarrassingly clued me in to the fact that I am still a cutesy character loving, happy music dancing, unabashed kart-racing fanatic.

Obviously, we're looking at a license, a port of a PlayStation game, and a company that seems hell-bent on shoving their worst wears on an unsuspecting Dreamcast fanbase as quickly as possible (More Soul Reaver, less Tomb Raider!!), so a host of red flags were doing their best impression of Tom Cruise's hair in a slow-mo M:I-2 clip prior to popping this puppy in my system, but much to my surprise, it ain't half-bad, kids.

I say "half" because there is one thing that keeps it from being a really good little clone: the frame-rate. I am not sure why the idea of a sub-par clip being acceptable has been popping in to the minds of fine producers of kids games everywhere, but for some reason, it keeps happening. This visually simplistic game simply stutters along at sub 5 FPS at the most unlikely, unstrained times and ruins an otherwise coherent racing experience, and it really peeves me.

Primarily because there is a lot to like about this game. Featuring a host of red-headed step characters from the Disney Dungeon such as Chip, Dale, Jiminy Cricket and others (no favs such as Mickey, Donald, or Pluto, however...bummer) you take to the track with a wide variety of vehicles that change depending on the environment. As we mentioned earlier, the tracks are patterned after famous rides form Disney theme parks, and though they don't seem to make much of a functional difference in gameplay, it is still kind of cool to take a boat through the jungle ride, then hop into snowmobile for the mountain track, and into a hotrod for the rock n' roll themed ride. Pretty sweet stuff.

As for the themes themselves, I was really impressed with how well these come off, though I still can't believe the Dreamcast is having any trouble pushing the simple, cartoon-esque environments, which are strikingly similar to their PlayStation predecessor. Each track has a host of "events" scripted in, from top-popping buildings full of TNT in the old west track to a load of lizards in the Dinosaur ride and they also can feature cool shortcuts depending on the track. As far as visual effect go, however, the only difference here seems to be a few sprinkled particle effects and some intensified colored lighting. Outside that, about the only major change we can see is an upped resolution and higher quality textures from the PSX original, and considering the possibilities, we're hoping Eidos finds time to tweak this puppy prior to release.

Visuals aside, the game's control is on point, though I am a bit surprised at Eidos' departure from the standard analog break-and-gas set-up. Thankfully, though, a cool power-up system quickly made me forget about this programming sin. As you race, you pick up coins that afford you new random power-ups, which borrow heavily from the likes of Mario Kart, though there are a few cool new Disney-themed items. Cast a spell that turns everyone else to frogs. Drop atea cup landmine that is sure to send opponets spinning. Yeah, it's a bit hokey, but this is a kids game...

On top of that, you pick up these weird green swirly things that increase you're racer's luck, which not only effects your opponents performace, but can help you get the best weapons down the stretch, which can be crucial in turning away an eager racer.

And these guys certainly are totally up for giving you a good run. The game is pretty easy at this stage, but by the same token, races manage to seem competitive and fair, skipping on the typical rubber-band tactics and weapon favoritism typically found in games of this type. After just a few laps, I was on the edge of my chair, telling that bastard Dale exactly where to stick his acorn bombs after a well-placed shot, and this can't be anything but a good sign in my book.

We're still waiting to get a crack at the multi-player component of the game, but will have to wait until Samba-mania has died down in the office to get you guys a better look, but rest assured that we'll be back with a new look at this addictive little racer a bit closer to the game's release in June. 'Till then, check out the new media we've put together, and start looking for your mouse ears!

If you've been to Disney World before, you know you have had the same common thought as everyone else. At some point during your vacation, you have been caught saying, "I wish I could race around this place in a car and shoot nuts at other people". Admit it, you have.

Please admit it jokingly though, as the only way you have ever thought that is if you rank on the list of insane people in this world. Let's face it... if your real-life goal is to fling acorns at other guests in the happiest place on earth, you belong in the nuttiest place on earth (no pun intended). If you've ever thought the previously mentioned idea in reference to what would make a cool video game, then not only are you perfectly sane, but you are also perfect for Eidos' upcoming Dreamcast title Walt Disney World¿ Quest ¿ Magical Racing Tour.

Already released for the Playstation game console, Magical Racing Tour is on its way to the Sega Dreamcast. The game is being developed by Crystal Dynamics, a company that can go on record as having produced the only worthwhile 3DO game ever: Gex. MRT for the Dreamcast will feature all the trademark Disney characters and sounds as the Playstation version, but will feature them in much more vivid colors and with sharper graphics.

For those who are unaware of what Walt Disney World¿ Quest ¿ Magical Racing Touris, it can best be summarized in two words: Mario Kart. Replace the trademark Nintendo characters with Disney ones, swap the turtle shells and bananas with acorns and teacups and alter the locations from areas such as Koopa Castle to Space Mountain, and you have Magical Racing Tour in a nutshell (again, no pun intended). To classify MRT solely as a classic title with exchanged ideas severely downplays the enjoyment that Eidos' latest is capable of providing. While is shares a lot of similarities, it has some varieties on the norm to make it truly a game on its own.

First off, Walt Disney World¿ Quest ¿ Magical Racing Tour actually features a real story that provides a reason for all the racing action. Everyone knows that every single night, Walt Disney World¿ is lit up in a gorgeous display of fireworks. All these pyrotechnics come from a single machine, which is creatively entitled the "Fireworks Machine". Well one day, our chipmunk friends Chip and Dale set out to find this contraption. Once they locate it Dale, moronically, drops his nuts into the machine (acorns, that is). This causes the Fireworks Machine to grind and explode into many pieces, which get scattered around various areas in the Disney World¿ theme park. Knowing that they have screwed up royally, the two little mammals set out to collect all the pieces before that night's pyrotechnics display. Chip (the black-nosed one) realizes that the two of them possibly can't run around and get all the pieces themselves, so he decides that they must use little cars and recruit some friends in order to expedite the process.

You can select from thirteen racers in Magical Racing Tour. Along with Chip and Dale, the only other recognizable character is Jiminy Cricket, leaving ten original racers that will be used in the game. These characters range from Bruno Biggs, the obsessive Mickey Mouse fan, to Tiara Dam¿ge, a thirteen year old duck that loves to dress up as the Disney Villains. Other characters follow the same pattern; they basically all serve as advertisements for what Walt Disney World¿ has to offer. All of these racers have their own speed and style, so it is up to you to pick your favorite and chase down those Fireworks Machine's pieces.

That hunting takes place in thirteen different tracks, all based off of an area of the Walt Disney World¿ resort. Magical Racing Tour's courses represent the following attractions:

Space Mountain

Pirates of the Caribbean

Disney's Blizzard Beach

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster

Test Track

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Haunted Mansion

DINOSAUR

Splash Mountain

Jungle Cruise

Tomorrowland Speedway

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon

Disney Studios

All of these courses are interactive in some form, and your character's vehicle will be altered for each course. For example, on the Blizzard Beach track you will don a snowmobile, and on the Splash Mountain course you will race inside one of the attraction's logs. Each course will feature shortcuts that must be unlocked and powerups out the wazoo. Eidos also mentions the fact that there will be hidden courses in Magical Racing Tour, so the aspect of variety is definitely covered in this game.

About those "powerups out the wazoo", expect many variances on the Mario Kart type of weaponry. Acorns can be hurled at other cars, rocket boosts an be used to speed your character up, and there is even a weapon called the "Frog Spell" that transforms all your opponents into the hopping little creatures (which you can squash if you want). All these items are gathered by driving through balloons on the courses.

Walt Disney World Quest¿ ¿ Magical Racing Tour is set to be a four player racing festival for the Dreamcast. The added bonus of racing along to some classic Disney tunes only adds to the overall enjoyment that Eidos' latest should provide. Disney-inspired titles are normally always fun for gamers from every age group, and Magical Racing Tour is looking as if it won't break that trend.